‘Own stupidity’ left him with a gunshot injury

NOT licensed to possess firearms, a Tokomaru Bay man suffered a serious chest wound in a freak accident with a gun he had been looking after for a friend, Gisborne District Court was told.

Te Huatahi Jack Pethybridge, 34, ended up in Waikato Hospital earlier this year after copping a rogue bullet from the .22 calibre rifle, which went off when he tossed it on a bench while searching for a cigarette.

The incident at about 6am on May 28 occurred after Pethybridge had been out drinking, the court heard.

He managed to walk to a relative’s house for help, was helicoptered to Gisborne Hospital, then transferred to Waikato.

Judge Nevin Dawson imposed 100 hours community work for charges admitted by Pethybridge — unlicensed possession of a gun and discharging it in a dwelling.

The judge said the sentence took account of the injury suffered by Pethybridge due to his own stupidity.

A further 40-hour work sentence was added for a breach of bail, to which Pethybridge also pleaded guilty.

There was an order for destruction of the gun and its ammunition.

NOT licensed to possess firearms, a Tokomaru Bay man suffered a serious chest wound in a freak accident with a gun he had been looking after for a friend, Gisborne District Court was told.

Te Huatahi Jack Pethybridge, 34, ended up in Waikato Hospital earlier this year after copping a rogue bullet from the .22 calibre rifle, which went off when he tossed it on a bench while searching for a cigarette.

The incident at about 6am on May 28 occurred after Pethybridge had been out drinking, the court heard.

He managed to walk to a relative’s house for help, was helicoptered to Gisborne Hospital, then transferred to Waikato.

Judge Nevin Dawson imposed 100 hours community work for charges admitted by Pethybridge — unlicensed possession of a gun and discharging it in a dwelling.

The judge said the sentence took account of the injury suffered by Pethybridge due to his own stupidity.

A further 40-hour work sentence was added for a breach of bail, to which Pethybridge also pleaded guilty.